[bacon]

i have been living in mexico for 2 yrs and love it but many people when they think of mexico they immediately conjure up images of drug dealers beheading rivals. im here to say mexico is from my experience safe and enjoyable. however some states and cities should be avoided. but in a country of 100 million its easy to find a safe place to live.

music tends to play to the narco audience here thou

[Luvianka]

Thanks for believing that my country is not that dangerous, you, nice 'gringo'! However, may I suggest any gringo or pale face foreigner not to go to the following states, nor to transit on any state road:
Tamaulipas
North of Chihuahua
Almost all of Michoacán
Zacatecas
North and Central Veracruz
South and Central Guerrero
and the City of Monterrey (yes, I know you have been told many stories about women in Monterrey, but at this time the city is as dangerous as let's say Detroit).
The reason? Well, Mexican government is playing ball with Uncle Sam in drug wars. The death toll has reached 80,000 and counting, I just hope that the whole thing is worth it and now, you, gringos, can't find a single gram of Big C, Merck, Florida Snow, a Blunt or whatever the thing you like to put inside of you.

[username]

El Estado de Yucatan is actually one of the safest parts in all of North America.

It sucks that Sonora is one of the high risk areas, every time I am near Tucson I have an urge to make the drive to Nogales, Sonora.

I spent time this year and last year in Mexico in DF and Acapulco and never once felt unsafe.

[BCien]

I like the "Sentado en una hielera y escuchando un corrido! le jale a un cuerno de chivo rodeado de mis amigos"

As long as the cartel running the area doesnt see you as a potential threat or if the cartel is shitty and loves to kidnap innocent people (Id rather not say names) You're ok.

[kavakid]

I have been traveling in Mexico for 2 months currently (october 2012). I was in MOnterrey for 2 days, Mazatlan, DF, zacatecas, oaxaca, guadalajara, guanajuato, queretaro, and now Xalapa. Some of those places I spent up to 2 weeks in. And in all of them I was walking around very late at night by myself downtown. Often with over a hundred dollars in my pocket. Yes, there are moments that can feel like "damn its late at night and I can get jacked". I was kidnapped for a few hours in Chang Mai Thailand so I know shit can happen. I was also robbed at kitchen knife point when I was in high school in Atlanta, GA.

I even ended up in a remote poor neighborhood in Guadalajara and made friends with some low grade "gangsters".

Generally I felt safer than in a bad neighborhood in my hometown in Atlanta. I never had more of a problem than someone trying hard to sell me something ,mostly during the daytime. In condesa in DF late at night there was one time that a sketchy looking guy may have been following me. But it was easy to avoid him, and he was smallish.

From what everyone says and my own feeling, there is a strong taboo about messing with tourists. We are definitely in a whole other caste, almost like an untouchable. Think about it, what common objective do mainstream mexicans and the cartels both have? MONEY.

If there are even just a few incidents of tourists getting killed, where its obvious there is fowl play, and Mexico as a whole loses money. This includes the cartels who own Resorts. I am sure its known that anyone physically attacking a gringo will be dealt with by the cartels directly. Sure, if you fuck some gangsters girlfriend then he is going to lose his head. But if you are just walking around, the worst that should happen is getting robbed.

Think about it. There are SO many rich MExicans who can be kidnapped, jacked, etc without drawing as much heat from the police and attention in the press, etc. Why would they choose a gringo? You have to come here to Mexico to understand that tourists are just not a big target because the return on risk is not as good as some of these loaded Mexican businessmen, etc..

Now if you are hiking in rural Michoacan or Sonora, then you might dissappear. And don't go looking for drugs near your hotel with a balcony. Both are good places for an "accident". But other than that, the risk to tourists is mostly just hype. Its FAR more dangerous to go walking in the Detroit ghetto. No one there gives a SHIT that you are white. There you will just be another statistic...

What IS dangerous here is the chance of getting hit by a taxi or bus. I am WAY more scared of crossing the street in the daytime here with 200 people around, than of walking down the middle of an empty street in the middle of the night. Cars and people are like a ballet here. Oh, and the absolutely MOST DANGEROUS thing in Mexico, bar none, is the potholes in the sidewalks. Those things are lethal and no one seems to care about them. WATCH YOUR STEP!!!! You can easily cripple yourself. I am not kidding I have seen so many giant holes that would swallow your leg right in the middle of the sidewalk I have lost count. I would love to see the statistics on those things...

Well time to take a nap in my $5.00 hotel room in Xalapa downtown. Its very basic but hey, its $5.00 and later I'll hit on the college girls...

By the way, Oaxaca city is not that great for chicks unless you are already a big lady's man. Could be alright for a month or longer though. Supposedly the Oaxaca coast is quiet this time of year too, because of the rain.

[bacon]

(10-08-2012 08:52 PM)kavakid Wrote:  

I have been traveling in Mexico for 2 months currently (october 2012). I was in MOnterrey for 2 days, Mazatlan, DF, zacatecas, oaxaca, guadalajara, guanajuato, queretaro, and now Xalapa.

I even ended up in a remote poor neighborhood in Guadalajara and made friends with some low grade "gangsters".

Generally I felt safer than in a bad neighborhood in my hometown in Atlanta. I never had more of a problem than someone trying hard to sell me something ,mostly during the daytime. In condesa in DF late at night there was one time that a sketchy looking guy may have been following me. But it was easy to avoid him, and he was smallish.

From what everyone says and my own feeling, there is a strong taboo about messing with tourists. We are definitely in a whole other caste, almost like an untouchable. Think about it, what common objective do mainstream mexicans and the cartels both have? MONEY.

If there are even just a few incidents of tourists getting killed, where its obvious there is fowl play, and MExico as a whole loses money. This includes the cartels who own Resorts. I am sure its known that anyone physically attacking a gringo will be dealt with by the cartels directly. Sure, if you fuck some gangsters girlfriend then he is going to lose his head. But if you are just walking around, the worst that should happen is getting robbed.

Think about it. There are SO many rich MExicans who can be kidnapped, jacked, etc without drawing as much heat from the police and attention in the press, etc. Why would they choose a gringo? You have to come here to Mexico to understand that tourists are just not a big target because the return on risk is not as good as some of these loaded Mexican businessmen, etc..

Now if you are hiking in rural Michoacan or Sonora, then you might dissappear. And don't go looking for drugs near your hotel with a balcony. Both are good places for an "accident". But other than that, the risk to tourists is mostly just hype. Its FAR more dangerous to go walking in the Detroit ghetto. No one there gives a SHIT that you are white. There you will just be another statistic...

Well time to take a nap in my $5.00 hotel room in Xalapa downtown. Its very basic but hey, its $5.00 and later I'll hit on the college girls...

By the way, Oaxaca city is not that great for chicks unless you are already a big lady's man. Could be alright for a month or longer though. Supposedly the Oaxaca coast is quiet this time of year too, because of the rain.

criminals are smart if you kidnap an american you could face FBI, CIA, types. its all about economics to criminals so kidnaping americans is not financially beneificial generally speaking

[DoctaWho]

(10-08-2012 08:52 PM)kavakid Wrote:  

Think about it. There are SO many rich MExicans who can be kidnapped, jacked, etc without drawing as much heat from the police and attention in the press, etc. Why would they choose a gringo? You have to come here to Mexico to understand that tourists are just not a big target because the return on risk is not as good as some of these loaded Mexican businessmen, etc..

Now if you are hiking in rural Michoacan or Sonora, then you might dissappear. And don't go looking for drugs near your hotel with a balcony. Both are good places for an "accident". But other than that, the risk to tourists is mostly just hype. Its FAR more dangerous to go walking in the Detroit ghetto. No one there gives a SHIT that you are white. There you will just be another statistic...

Most kidnappers, the ones who do it for money and not political reasons, tend to go for people with kidnapping insurance because it all but guarantees payment. As a regular guy you're more likely to face a strong armed robbery than a kidnapping. That said, unless you go out of your way to be in the wrong place or buy certain things from the wrong people you're in little more danger than you would be back home.

[Celtic]

(10-08-2012 03:01 PM)Luvianka Wrote:  

Thanks for believing that my country is not that dangerous, you, nice 'gringo'! However, may I suggest any gringo or pale face foreigner not to go to the following states, nor to transit on any state road:
Tamaulipas
North of Chihuahua
Almost all of Michoacán
Zacatecas
North and Central Veracruz
South and Central Guerrero
and the City of Monterrey (yes, I know you have been told many stories about women in Monterrey, but at this time the city is as dangerous as let's say Detroit).
The reason? Well, Mexican government is playing ball with Uncle Sam in drug wars. The death toll has reached 80,000 and counting, I just hope that the whole thing is worth it and now, you, gringos, can't find a single gram of Big C, Merck, Florida Snow, a Blunt or whatever the thing you like to put inside of you.

I was in Veracruz this year, alone by myself at night many times, never had a problem. Saw lots of families with kids and women by themselves out without fear.

I agree with the people here- Mexico is just not that dangerous if you are smart.

[bacon]

(10-08-2012 03:01 PM)Luvianka Wrote:  

Thanks for believing that my country is not that dangerous, you, nice 'gringo'! However, may I suggest any gringo or pale face foreigner not to go to the following states, nor to transit on any state road:
Tamaulipas
North of Chihuahua
Almost all of Michoacán
Zacatecas
North and Central Veracruz
South and Central Guerrero
and the City of Monterrey (yes, I know you have been told many stories about women in Monterrey, but at this time the city is as dangerous as let's say Detroit).
The reason? Well, Mexican government is playing ball with Uncle Sam in drug wars. The death toll has reached 80,000 and counting, I just hope that the whole thing is worth it and now, you, gringos, can't find a single gram of Big C, Merck, Florida Snow, a Blunt or whatever the thing you like to put inside of you.

what are your thoughts on the new govt run by pena nieto. he has off the record said he will do away with the mexican DEA and stop fighting against cartels. he is a member of the PRI this political party
ran mexico up until the last 10 yrs or so and i dont remember drug wars prior to 10yrs ago.

[WanderingSoul]

(10-08-2012 08:52 PM)kavakid Wrote:  

I have been traveling in Mexico for 2 months currently (october 2012). I was in MOnterrey for 2 days, Mazatlan, DF, zacatecas, oaxaca, guadalajara, guanajuato, queretaro, and now Xalapa. Some of those places I spent up to 2 weeks in. And in all of them I was walking around very late at night by myself downtown. Often with over a hundred dollars in my pocket. Yes, there are moments that can feel like "damn its late at night and I can get jacked". I was kidnapped for a few hours in Chang Mai Thailand so I know shit can happen. I was also robbed at kitchen knife point when I was in high school in Atlanta, GA.

I even ended up in a remote poor neighborhood in Guadalajara and made friends with some low grade "gangsters".

Generally I felt safer than in a bad neighborhood in my hometown in Atlanta. I never had more of a problem than someone trying hard to sell me something ,mostly during the daytime. In condesa in DF late at night there was one time that a sketchy looking guy may have been following me. But it was easy to avoid him, and he was smallish.

From what everyone says and my own feeling, there is a strong taboo about messing with tourists. We are definitely in a whole other caste, almost like an untouchable. Think about it, what common objective do mainstream mexicans and the cartels both have? MONEY.

If there are even just a few incidents of tourists getting killed, where its obvious there is fowl play, and Mexico as a whole loses money. This includes the cartels who own Resorts. I am sure its known that anyone physically attacking a gringo will be dealt with by the cartels directly. Sure, if you fuck some gangsters girlfriend then he is going to lose his head. But if you are just walking around, the worst that should happen is getting robbed.

Think about it. There are SO many rich MExicans who can be kidnapped, jacked, etc without drawing as much heat from the police and attention in the press, etc. Why would they choose a gringo? You have to come here to Mexico to understand that tourists are just not a big target because the return on risk is not as good as some of these loaded Mexican businessmen, etc..

Now if you are hiking in rural Michoacan or Sonora, then you might dissappear. And don't go looking for drugs near your hotel with a balcony. Both are good places for an "accident". But other than that, the risk to tourists is mostly just hype. Its FAR more dangerous to go walking in the Detroit ghetto. No one there gives a SHIT that you are white. There you will just be another statistic...

What IS dangerous here is the chance of getting hit by a taxi or bus. I am WAY more scared of crossing the street in the daytime here with 200 people around, than of walking down the middle of an empty street in the middle of the night. Cars and people are like a ballet here. Oh, and the absolutely MOST DANGEROUS thing in Mexico, bar none, is the potholes in the sidewalks. Those things are lethal and no one seems to care about them. WATCH YOUR STEP!!!! You can easily cripple yourself. I am not kidding I have seen so many giant holes that would swallow your leg right in the middle of the sidewalk I have lost count. I would love to see the statistics on those things...

Well time to take a nap in my $5.00 hotel room in Xalapa downtown. Its very basic but hey, its $5.00 and later I'll hit on the college girls...

By the way, Oaxaca city is not that great for chicks unless you are already a big lady's man. Could be alright for a month or longer though. Supposedly the Oaxaca coast is quiet this time of year too, because of the rain.

Tell the Chiang Mai story. I was there for three months, and I think that is extremely rare. What happened?

[Luvianka]

(10-08-2012 11:30 PM)bacon Wrote:  

(10-08-2012 03:01 PM)Luvianka Wrote:  

Thanks for believing that my country is not that dangerous, you, nice 'gringo'! However, may I suggest any gringo or pale face foreigner not to go to the following states, nor to transit on any state road:
...
that the whole thing is worth it and now, you, gringos, can't find a single gram of Big C, Merck, Florida Snow, a Blunt or whatever the thing you like to put inside of you.

what are your thoughts on the new govt run by pena nieto. he has off the record said he will do away with the mexican DEA and stop fighting against cartels. he is a member of the PRI this political party
ran mexico up until the last 10 yrs or so and i dont remember drug wars prior to 10yrs ago.

He'll continue playing ball with the Americans all the way long.

[MidWest]

I will be traveling by bus to Mexico in a few weeks. From Chicago all the way to Guadalajara which will take approximately 3 days. Is this recommended?

[speakeasy]

(07-01-2013 08:21 PM)MidWest Wrote:  

I will be traveling by bus to Mexico in a few weeks. From Chicago all the way to Guadalajara which will take approximately 3 days. Is this recommended?

I felt completely safe busing around Mexico, but damn, from Chicago? Why not just fly? Probably cheaper.

[kavakid]

I took the bus down from Austin. I highly recommend it. You will be really seeing not just the US, but the continent. And you will be crossing an area with incredible history. You might consider stopping in Austin. You can couchsurf there or there is a great hostel right on the lake not too far from downtown.

Mexico is a HUGE country, and your odds of the bus being hijacked are very low, especially if you stick to MAJOR cities such as the ones you will be visiting. There is an enormous military presence on major routes like that. Also, tourists are somewhat off limits, because cartels have money in the tourist industry, as well as gringos are their primary clients in the US for drugs. So they aren't looking to hit you up, especially since there are richer mexicans they can hit up with far less heat.

You'll have a great time.... Read Texas or Mexico by james michener on the way down...

[MidWest]

(07-01-2013 09:38 PM)speakeasy Wrote:  

(07-01-2013 08:21 PM)MidWest Wrote:  

I will be traveling by bus to Mexico in a few weeks. From Chicago all the way to Guadalajara which will take approximately 3 days. Is this recommended?

I felt completely safe busing around Mexico, but damn, from Chicago? Why not just fly? Probably cheaper.

Haha yeah thats the same reaction I get from people when I tell them. The cost for a round trip going by bus will be $350 bucks, which is still cheaper than flying believe it or not. A round trip ticket from Chi-town to GDL flying costs around $450-$650. But like Kavakid posted. I want to experience busing and dont mind sitting on my ass for 3 days.

[Fortitudinal]

The east coast is very chill, nothing more dangerous than tourist ripoffs and similar low level stuff. ive spent time there earlier this year, seemed as safe as ever.

I guess cartels and the goverment have figured out that you dont kill the golden goose (aka tourism).

[MidWest]

(07-01-2013 10:13 PM)kavakid Wrote:  

I took the bus down from Austin. I highly recommend it. You will be really seeing not just the US, but the continent. And you will be crossing an area with incredible history. You might consider stopping in Austin. You can couchsurf there or there is a great hostel right on the lake not too far from downtown.

Mexico is a HUGE country, and your odds of the bus being hijacked are very low, especially if you stick to MAJOR cities such as the ones you will be visiting. There is an enormous military presence on major routes like that. Also, tourists are somewhat off limits, because cartels have money in the tourist industry, as well as gringos are their primary clients in the US for drugs. So they aren't looking to hit you up, especially since there are richer mexicans they can hit up with far less heat.

You'll have a great time.... Read Texas or Mexico by james michener on the way down...

Im really looking forward to it. A friend of mying who is from Mexico told me he goes down there in a bus every year without problems and he recommended it to me when he heard I was going down to GDL. The only thing he said that will be a little uncomfortable (which I dont think it is) is that 99% of the passengers will be Mexican nationals with green cards and I will literally be the only American on board, which I dont mind by the way since Im Mexican American.

My only concern was the military checkpoints and if these routes in Mexico are secured because we are going to be passing some really dangerous places like the Laredo/Nuevo Laredo border, monterrey, Coahuila, Durango, Zacatecas, and eventually Guadalajara. Last time I went to Mexico it was in 08, right before the all the hype of the cartels started, and a lot of my family members are telling me to fly as a precaution and some are even telling me not to go, which only builds to my fear of going. I will admit that I am a little hesitant and scared but willing to go anyway. Thanks guys for your assurance, cannot wait to get down there.

[LaPastillaRoja]

It's a shame (or maybe not?) how Mexico is being subjected to arguably the most aggressive 'don't go there' campaigns ever. I don't believe anything that I see/read on the news, much less crime statistics telling me that places in Mexico are more dangerous than Afghanistan and places like that. I visited the DF and Quintana Roo a couple of years ago and I felt pretty safe. Mexico to me is a great country and the Mexican girls who are actually in Mexico could be one of the best kept secrets in Game. Obviously anywhere you go where there is a heavy crime element there will be risks, the same could be said for any other country. If you are there for tourism, you aren't likely to find yourself in the more slummy areas of these cities anyways, save for some kind of error.

I love Mexico, and will continue to visit Mexico, fuck the media.

[kavakid]

I took that bus route down, more or less. Laredo, Monterrey, zacatecas....
It's a pretty major route.

There WAS a horrible massacre of civilians on a number of buses in a particular incident in Mexico in 2011:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_San_Fernando_massacre

However, it doesn't seem to be a major route. You might exercise caution to avoid routes that aren't MAJOR and/or tourist.

200 people died, about what happens when a plane crashes. The statistics on how many people die every day from ALL CAUSES are pretty staggering. Death DOES happen even when you take the best precautions. You might even say its inevitable....

When my day comes, at least I will have some good stories...

[Hispanic_Reasoning]

i actually like that the stupid american media is doing the "don't go" campaigns for mexico. it keeps away beta american males from going to mexico and fucking up things like how desperate italians/turks are doing in eastern europe.

[speakeasy]

Holy shit, if I'd known about that bus mass massacre, I'd probably have not gone down there.

[20Nation]

I arrive in Guadalajara on Wednesday, I will be staying for over a month, then I plan on taking a bus to DF and staying there for over a month. I don't think it seems to be too bad of a route. I spent 3 months in Colombia, but still any advice for keeping out of trouble?

[Hispanic_Reasoning]

(07-02-2013 10:14 AM)20Nation Wrote:  

I arrive in Guadalajara on Wednesday, I will be staying for over a month, then I plan on taking a bus to DF and staying there for over a month. I don't think it seems to be too bad of a route. I spent 3 months in Colombia, but still any advice for keeping out of trouble?

don't associate with cartel people.

don't buy drugs over there.

don't act like an idiot.

[20Nation]

(07-02-2013 10:27 AM)Hispanic_Reasoning Wrote:  

(07-02-2013 10:14 AM)20Nation Wrote:  

I arrive in Guadalajara on Wednesday, I will be staying for over a month, then I plan on taking a bus to DF and staying there for over a month. I don't think it seems to be too bad of a route. I spent 3 months in Colombia, but still any advice for keeping out of trouble?

don't associate with cartel people.

don't buy drugs over there.

don't act like an idiot.

That's the common sense advice. I'm asking for more specific advice, like stay away from this area or this route or this part of the city at this time. Or in this area this type of robbery is common. If anybody has any advice like that it would be greatly appreciated.

[Laner]

You will be on the express buses, not the local milk run bus. These things bomb down the autopistas in first class with A/C and movies and reclining seats. Think high class Greyhound.

I agree that so much in life is just luck, and being in the wrong place at the wrong time is how bad things can happen. Sure, staying out of the bad barrios and the frontiera (other than Tijuana) is good common sense, but other than that if you keep your wits about you the chances of anything happening are slim.

Put it this way, if you are not part of the drug world where you are from outside of Mexico, then there is no chance of you being a part of it in Mexico. Unless you do dumb shit like go for a ride with a young G for some blow in Acapulco. Even then, chances are you will be fine.

My experiences in Mexico are going to be different than others. I was warned over and over to not ride my motorcycle backcountry in Chihuahua as I might run into some narcos doing something they dont want to be seen doing. But its a big area of some incredible riding and I figured I had 99% chance of awesome and maybe a 1% chance of harm from people. I had a higher chance of smoking a tree or riding over a cliff.

A story:

I was riding on some small back road between Parral and Durango and I see a home made road block coming up. I stopped short, and my heart started pounding. Military checks are common, but these guys were wearing jeans, cowboy boots, pearl button shirts and cowboy hats. They had already seen my and because the road was so quiet I was their centre of attention. I pull my bike over as far as I can on the side of the road in case I need to spin out of there. One of the guys is walking toward me and waving. I cant see a gun and he is making a friendly gesture and whistling. My gut instinct is not saying run, so I hesitantly start making a wide loop and meet him in the middle of the road.

He tells me that for the last few days some banditos (not narcos) have been doing some robberies in the area. Yesterday they were on this section, and he points on my map where I should go as he is pretty sure the banditos are being trapped by police in another area.

I thank him and turn my bike around and head out. They were just some local guys concerned with the safety of their community. Not unusual in Mexico.

I was also in Morelia when some local narcos rolled the heads of six cops into a popular nightclub, and left their bodies chopped and stuffed into the trunk of a car. I decided to not go back to that club after that. Even though no one from the club was hurt, that kind of picture is just not the one I want to have in my mind on a night out.